Harkaitz Cano Jauregi

Lasarte-Oria (Gipuzkoa), 1975

He holds a law degree (EHU-University of the Basque Country), and in 1993 was one of the founders of the Lubaki Banda literary group. Besides contributing to many newspapers in the Basque Country, he has worked as a scriptwriter for radio and TV.

He used to write mostly short stories but after reading Koldo Izagirre's Balizko erroten erresuma, Bernardo Atxaga's Etiopia and Sarrionandia's poetry, new doors opened up for him and he devoted himself entirely to poetry. He put together a book of poems and diligently did the rounds of the publishing houses.

He was eighteen and they all responded to him politely, but it was the Susa publishers who told him: "We are not going to publish this book of poetry, but do a better one and we'll publish that." Then he wrote Kea behelainopean bezala, which they published. "The trust shown by the Susa people has most likely influenced the fact that I continued to write," he says.

He is interested in writers who have been displaced. In Harkaitz's view, people who have left their home country for whatever reason and who have had to settle elsewhere undoubtedly have a kind of bitter irony and strength, an attractive point of schizophrenia and digression.

His works have been worthy of the attention of literary critics: the following are a selection, in chronological order, of the most recent commentaries to be published on his works: Norbait dabil sute-eskaileran, Alonso Egiguren, Aizu!, 04-2002; Telefono kaiolatua, Aingeru Epaltza, Nabarra, 11-2002; Norbait dabil sute-eskaileran, Lander Garro, Branka, 05-2003, Dardaren interpretazioa, Felipe Juaristi, El Diario Vasco, 20-02-2004.

The collection of short stories Neguko zirkua (Susa) was published in 2005. The name of this collection of stories was inspired by the Cirque d'Hiver of Paris. That is where in 1924 the Errezil (Gipuzkoa)-born boxer Paulino Uzkudun beat Jose Teixidor in the ring. These 19 short stories are largely prompted by Cano's personal memories of circuses.